Dry conditions fuel fire fears

Conditions are dry in the Upper Clutha region, causing concerns for farmers and rural firefighters as they continue to battle accidental vegetation blazes.

There have been three fires in nine days in the region, two of which were managed by Department of Conservation rural fire officers.

A fire yesterday afternoon beside Cardrona Valley Rd, near Mt Cardrona, was considered minor and dealt with by volunteer brigades from Wanaka and Luggate.

Farmer Ray Anderson believed it could have been caused by a cigarette discarded in long grass beside the road.

Mr Anderson had been doing tractor work in a paddock, when he noticed the fire, which spread through the grass, took hold in a gorse bush then jumped the fence into his paddock.

He did not think the fire had been caused by his tractor.

Mr Anderson said a vehicle pulled over to the side of the road while he was working the paddock and once they had left, the fire appeared.

He tried to beat it out with his jersey, while waiting for the engine and water tanker to arrive.

Conditions were dry, with 200mm less rain recorded this winter than in previous years, and the rain on Saturday night had not significantly changed conditions, Mr Anderson said.

Queenstown Lakes principal rural fire officer Gordon Bailey said yesterday things were "obviously a bit dry" and it was important for people to be vigilant all the time.

Doc deputy principal rural fire officer Trevor Mitchell said a fire on private land near Lake Hawea on Friday evening had been within 1km of a Doc reserve, so Doc had taken control of it.

The fire was under control on Friday night and had been checked on Saturday. The area would be checked again today, Mr Mitchell said.

Doc had also taken control of a 30ha fire in the Craig Burn reserve on September 23, which was caused by an escaped farm burn on Glen Dene Station.